Do you have a Facebook account? Is your Instagram account filled with screenshots of your SnapChat story? Or does your Twitter feed feature your own personalized hashtag so followers know it’s you?

With over 2 million social media network users, you aren’t alone – and the playing field has opened up to more than just Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Tracking major social media trends is a great way of not only upping your social media game, but it also gives you a leg up on your competition when used successfully when it comes to your business. New Jersey digital advertising agency Digital Insider is thrilled to be able to put together this list of some of the social media trends we’ve seen so far this year that will help you become more social media savvy!

The Growth of Social Media Advertising…

With trending topics essentially replacing organic search throughout last year, most social media networks this year are growing their advertising budgets. Sponsored or boosted posts are no longer just for Facebook and Twitter – social media platforms such as Instagram and SnapChat are also introducing their own creative twists on both paid ads and post sponsorships. With ad segmentation across the board becoming more and more sophisticated, you have to make sure that your ads stay relevant – and then just sit back and watch your click rates rise!

The Non-Separation Between Business and Personal…

With content marketing on the rise, it’s not unusual these days to see companies encouraging their employees to not just create content for their business, but share that same content on their personal social media feeds. And with social networks such as LinkedIn emerging as leaders in the social media networking world, the gap between personal social media accounts and those set up for your place of employment are shrinking. Seeing as more and more people connect personally through business, more and more social networks are taking advantage of that fact – not only providing information on who you work for now, but who you may work with in the future, too.

Social Media and Automation…

Technology helped to create social media, and technology is going to help marketers control it. Automation management software allows you to keep track of multiple accounts at one time, allowing you to easily engage on multiple platforms at once, as well as analyze those same interactions. By identifying, qualifying, converting and finally growing your customer base, marketing automation is a great way of utilizing all your social media accounts have to offer.

Live updates…

Social media at its heart gives the user an ability to instantly share whatever is on their mind in real-time. With the appearance of “trending topics” news outlets and other sources have quickly adapted, using their social media pages to keep viewers engaged with up to the minute updates on live stories. The possibilities of this trend are endless, and have already been amplified with the popularity of video marketing. This year, apps such as Periscope (which was recently bought by Twitter) allow social media users the ability to join a live video mid-stream, while Vine, Instagram and SnapChat also encourage video immediacy through instant sharing. It not only allows your audience to feel as if they’re instantly “in the know”, but it’ll give you the leg up over your competition when it comes to interaction and engagement.

Customer service in the age of social media…

With social media as the place to be, you need to be prepared that your audience isn’t going to stop to call or email you regarding a question – they’ll Private Message you on Facebook, or tweet directly to your Twitter handle. If you’re constantly updating your social feeds, this will give you the opportunity to directly engage with both current and prospective customers. However, it will also set the precedent that your social media is the place to find instant access – so be prepared to handle whatever your social media accounts may throw your way.

Just remember – social media is the new marketing frontier – and these social media trends will help you successfully manage all that can come your way! And if you’ve got questions regarding social media, be sure to contact New Jersey advertising agency Digital Insider – we’d be happy to help!